IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that “Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience” debuted with record breaking box office results and outstanding moviegoer response this past weekend. The digitally re-mastered IMAX release of Batman Begins set the record for IMAX’s biggest five day opening, with estimated domestic grosses of $3.16 million, as well as the highest grossing opening day for a Hollywood simultaneous release, at approximately $754,000.

The film opened in 55 North American IMAXÂ® theatres, registering an impressive per screen average of more than $57,500 over the five-day period from Wednesday, June 15 to Sunday, June 19. “Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience” also opened strong in several key international territories, with IMAX theatres in the UK, Mexico, The Netherlands and France reporting sold out shows, high occupancy rates and particularly strong results. The total box office grosses from the 16 international IMAX theatres that opened the film this weekend are estimated to be $487,000.

The two new AMC IMAX theatres located in Phoenix and Kansas City – which signed just six weeks ago and debuted with “Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience”:

– sold out almost all of their showings during their opening weekend. The newest Cinepolis IMAX theatre, which opened in Guadalajara, Mexico timed to the release of the film, also debuted with numerous sell-outs and great consumer response. The bfi IMAX theatre in London was again the top performing international site in the IMAX theatre network, with opening weekend grosses of $109,000. The Pathe IMAX Theatre in Amsterdam, the Gaumont Disney Village IMAX theatre and the other Cinepolis IMAX theatres in Mexico City and Monterrey also reported impressive results.

“The strong opening weekend performance of ‘Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience’ is a testament to what a fantastic film this is, how ideally suited it is for IMAX’s format, and the outstanding job Warner Bros. Pictures has done in promoting it,” said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “The strong word of mouth coming out of the first weekend leads us to believe this film will be a significant draw for the IMAX theatre network all summer. Just as ‘The Polar Express’ excited audiences in IMAXÂ® 3D, we feel ‘Batman Begins’ in IMAX’s format will bring in incremental 2D audiences eager to pay a premium price for The IMAX ExperienceÂ®.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the results from the opening weekend,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. “‘Batman Begins’ showed increasing momentum in both IMAX and 35mm theatres over the course of the five-day opening, and when coupled with great reviews and excellent consumer exits, we look forward to a long, successful run.”

“IMAX was heavily integrated into the marketing of ‘Batman Begins’, helping to further ‘eventize’ the movie and draw large numbers of moviegoers to IMAX theatres this past weekend,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Our strategy of releasing the best Hollywood films converted into The IMAX Experience – in both 2D and IMAX 3D – continues to take hold, and audiences worldwide are embracing this premium moviegoing experience. Warner Bros. Pictures has again delivered another fantastic event film in ‘Batman Begins’ and we’re excited to partner with them this summer.”

The next Warner Bros. Pictures release in IMAX’s format will be the highly anticipated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, opening domestically on July 15, 2005.